Memorie.al/ publishes two photos with unknown images of the official state ceremonies of the 28th and 29th of November, during the years of the communist regime of Enver Hoxha in Albania. The first photo clearly shows the entire Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the ALP and the ministerial cabinet headed by Prime Minister Mehmet Shehu, which was taken during the celebration ceremony on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence of Albania, which was took place in 1962 in the city of Vlora.
At that time, the entire Political Bureau and members of the communist nomenclature of the time, would visit the coastal city and on that occasion, they would pose for the photo in question, which was taken at the entrance to the building of the former Executive Committee of Vlora (today the Municipality of this city), the building built in 1918, at the end of the First World War, in the vortex of which Albania was also included.
From left to right, there are: Haki Toska, Abdyl Këllezi, Ramiz Alia, Spiro Koleka, Hysni Kapo, Mehmet Shehu, Mihallaq Gjinikasi, Enver Hoxha, Haxhi Lleshi, Gogo Nushi, Manush Muftiu, Adil Çarçani, Kadri Hazbiu. While above from the left, (second row), Beqir Balluku, Bilbil Klosi, Rita Marko, Josif Pashko, Tonin Jakova, Spiro Moisiu, Thoma Deliana, and Peti Shamblli. Above them, (third and fourth row), stand out: lieutenant-general Sadik Bekteshi, Todi Lubonja, Behar Shtylla, Vito Kapo, Shefqet Peçi, Pilo Peristeri, Kiço Ngjela, Koço Theodhosi, Ciril Pistoli, Aleks Verli, Pjetër Kosta, and Xhaferr Spahiu.
The second photo shows the Political Bureau following the military parade, held in honor of the celebrations of the 40th anniversary of the Liberation of Albania, from the tribune installed in front of the Prime Minister’s Office. The parade took place on November 29, 1984, and in this image, you can clearly see in the center of the photo, the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the ALP, Enver Hoxha, greeting the military cadres who were parading in front of their tribune on the Boulevard “Martyrs of Nation” in Tirana.
Next to Enver (from the left of the photo), there is Ramiz Alia and Simos Stefani, while behind them in the second row, the following are clearly visible: Shefqet Peçi, Vito Kapo and Spiro Koleka. While on the other side of Enver (from the right of the photo), there are: Prokop Murra, Adil Çarçani and Haki Toska, while behind them are: Vaid Boriçi (Head of Government Protocol), Rrahman Hanku, Tahir Minxhozi, Xhaferr Spahiu and Themie Thomas.
The decision to have Enver Hoxha participate in that jubilee activity came after the request of Ramiz Ali and the approval of the “comrades” of the Political Bureau, since at that time there were rumors about the extremely serious health condition of the “main party leader”, even according to the speech of Ramiz Ali, held those days in one of the meetings of the Political Bureau where the “health of Enver Hoxha” was discussed, he would say that: “Some foreign newspapers have given false news, where it is said that Comrade Enver Hoxha was dead”!
For this reason, with the approval of Nexhmije Hoxha and the medical staff, and with the insistence of Ramiz Ali, Enveri was asked to be present at that event, where the photo in question was taken. This would be the last public appearance of the main Albanian communist leader, Enver Hoxha, since about four months later, on April 11, 1985, at the age of 77, he would die in his home, after a series of illnesses. / Memorie.al
